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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team fell to the College of Charleston, 82-79, Wednesday night at McBrayer Arena in the opening round of the 2010 College Basketball Invitational. Matt Sundberg’s three-pointer with 28 seconds on the clock broke a 75-75 tie and gave the Cougars a lead they would not relinquish.

EKU finishes the season with a record of 20-13 while Charleston (22-11) advances to play VCU in the CBI quarterfinals Monday night.

Senior Josh Taylor scored a career-high 28 points and connected on 4-of-8 three-pointers in the final game of his Colonel career. The native of Pittsburgh, Pa., concluded his Eastern career with 1,058 points. Junior Justin Stommes contributed with 13 points while senior Papa Oppong tallied 11 points.

Andrew Goudelock led a very balanced Charleston scoring attack as five Cougars scored in the double figures. Goudelock recorded 17 points, Tony White, Jr. and Donavan Monroe had 15 apiece, Sundberg scored 13 and Jeremy Simmons chipped in with 12.

Both teams shot the ball well as the Colonels shot 59 percent (31-of-52) from the field and 50 percent (9-of-18) from three-point range. The visiting Cougars, out of the Southern Conference, shot 57 percent (29-of-51) from the field and 48 percent (13-of-27) from three point range.

Charleston, however, was a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line while EKU was 8-of-13 from the charity stripe, including four crucial missed free throws in the last three minutes of the game.

A bucket in the paint by Taylor tied the game at 75-75 with 1:30 remaining, but White, Jr. responded on the ensuing possession with two free throws to put the Cougars ahead, 77-75. Taylor scored on the opposite end and was fouled, but missed his free throw allowing the game to stay tied at 77-all.

Sundberg then nailed a three-pointer from the left wing with 28 ticks on the clock to break the tie for good. Stommes brought the Colonels back to within one point on a put-back with12 seconds left only to see Goudelock push the advantage back to three points with two free throws.

EKU was able to get Taylor one final look at a tying three-point attempt, but the shot was slightly off target.

Already leading 10-9 at the 15:25 mark of the first half, the Colonels went on a 12-2 run over the next five minutes – capped by a fast break Oppong three-pointer – to take a commanding 11-point lead midway through the first half.

The Cougars rallied behind Goudelock, though, as the guard drained consecutive long-range threes to pull Charleston to within one, 31-30, with 3:16 remaining in the half. Another three by Goudelock with barely more than a minute left in the half gave the Cougars their first lead since it was 2-0.

Oppong’s second trifecta, however, sent EKU into the locker room at halftime with a narrow three-point lead, 40-37.

Charleston took its first lead of the second half when White, Jr. hit a baseline floater to make the score 60-59 with 11:53 showing on the clock. After Charleston’s lead eventually grew to six, the Colonels rallied behind Taylor and Stommes to even the game at 75-all with 1:30 showing on the clock.